Brijean brought an immaculate groove to White Oak Music Hall with support from Colloboh. The artists took to the road in mid-July to accompany the release of their new album Macro.
Opening a spectacular and singular night, Colloboh performed his set not on stage but in the audience, allowing the people to step close and surround him. Colloboh’s intimate connection with the modular synthesizer was evident, several times his face nearly grazed the multi-colored wires. The set began with ethereal and pulsing noise that gradually grew darker and heavier. A beat eventually broke through, letting the sounds run together.
The uniquely captivating performance made me feel like I was soaring through space in a rocket ship and then landing at a dance party on the jungle floor. He alternated between slowly introducing new elements, letting the crowd become familiar with a loop, and abruptly stopping the established beat to start a new rhythm, keeping everyone on their toes and enhancing the entrancing vibe of the set. As the final notes faded, the audience was left in awe, tingling from the journey Colloboh had masterfully guided us through.
Brijean brought an immaculate groove to White Oak Music Hall. Consisting of Brijean Murphy and Doug Stuart, the duo’s palpable connection seemed to draw the audience closer to the stage, almost as if their proximity to the musicians would include them in the magic making. The entire crowd swayed, shimmied and bopped along to the psychedelic and dreamy tunes. There was not a still body in the room.
Vocalist and percussionist Murphy played the bongos and conga drums with a fascinatingly calm confidence. While drumming, she simultaneously sang and played the bar chimes, never missing a beat or falling out of the established groove. Murphy’s expertise on the percussion instruments was impossible to overlook, at one point an audience member even exclaimed “girl, how do you play those drums so good?!”
Throughout the set, Stuart leaned deeply into his synthesizer and keyboard, laying down a hypnotic and funky jam. Murphy would often step out from behind her drums to play the tambourine or triangle. I have personally never seen the triangle look so dang cool. At one point, she joined Stuart at the keyboard, smiling, giggling and whispering to each other as the audience danced along to the riveting groove.
Murphy’s delicate and ethereal voice filled White Oak, Stuart sometimes joining her in harmony and emphasis. Songs like “Workin On It” and “Shy Guy” display deep introspection and a want for self improvement, tied in with longing and exhaustion that contrasts the upbeat energy of the accompaniment.
Anyone lucky enough to experience the true artistry of Brijean at White Oak Music Hall can testify to the infectious and unforgettable ambience they brought to Houston this Summer.
As a Houston native, I am passionate about the deep well of talent that Texas has to offer. From DIY shows to major label musicians, I just love to consume live music. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to highlight and memorialize incredible artists through photography and writing. When not on tour, studying at the University of Houston, or at local shows, I can be found reading, writing songs, enjoying soft cheeses, planning themed parties, and rolling down the hill at Hermann Park.
